Sleeper attachment for day-coaches.



EATENTED JAN. 14', 1908.

. J. A. SHIEES; SLEEPER ATTACHMENT FOR'DAY coAcEEs.

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No. 876,887. 'PATENTEE .TAN.14, 190s.

J. A. SHIRES.

SLEEPER ATTACHMENT EOE DAY COACHES.

AP LI 0N .r P GATI FILED FEB 4 1907 3 S T 3' ETERS 09., wAsmNo'rnN. D. c.

I JOSEPH A. SHIRES, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SLEEPER ATTAGI-HVIENT FOR DAY-COACHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application filed. February 4:. 1907. Serial No. 355.735-

To all whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH A. SHIRES, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of 0010- rado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeper Attachments for DayCoaches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanving drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specifica- 131011;

My invention relates to what I term a sleeper attachment for daycoaches, my object being to provide simple apparatus adapted for use on ordinary passenger coaches or what are ordinarily termed day coaches, whereby the occupants may have virtually all the advantages of a sleeping car, without the necessity of paying the extra Pullman fare. While it is not intended that these cars be equipped with curtains or portieres to make the berths absolutely private, it is evident that these attachments may be provided if desired. The attachment is more especially intended, however, to take the place of chair cars. However, by virtue of my improvement the occupants may re cline at full length and as before stated have all the advantages so far as comfort is concerned that is. enjoyed by the occupants of Pullman cars.

Broadly speaking the invention consists in stretching two runs of canvas one above the tops of the backs of the seats and the other below the backs and just above the cushions, thus forming a double deck sleeper attachment, the backs of the seats forming the support for the upper deck and the cushions of the seats forming the support for the lower deck. Provision is also made for partially tilting the backs of the seats so that tall persons in the lower berths will have additional room by passing their feet underneath the tilted back of one of the seats, into the space between the backs of the two seats.

I prefer to form these upper and lower berths or decks, each of two pieces of canvas or other suitable flexible material, the two pieces to be connected about the center of the car as by straps and buckles or in any other suitable manner. The two canvas shown in elevation.

pieces forming either berth or deck, may be wound upon the drums at the opposite extremities of the car. These drums are preferably located in the upper part of the car the runs of canvas being made to engage guide rollers located at the proper elevations.

Having briefly outlined my improved con struction I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a central section taken through the bottom of the car, the sleeper construction on one side being Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the canvas decks showing the central part where the two members of the deck are connected. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a view looking toward the end of the car on one side, illustrating the winding drums and the pawl and ratchet attachments. In this view the canvas decks are shown in section. Fig- 5 is a side elevation of the same apparatus.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a car of ordinary construction and provided with seats 6 having backs 7 adapted to be tilted by virtue of the link connections 8 and 9. At the opposite ends of the car and on each side are located two drums designated 10 and 12, respectively, 10 being the upper and 12 the' lower drums. As shown in the drawing each drum whether upper or lower is provided with a ratchet 13 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 14 pivotally connected with the car as shown at 15. Upon each upper drum is wound a strip 16 of canvas or other suitable flexible material which when unwound from the drum passes downwardly parallel with the end wall of the car and under a roller 17 located approximately in a plane just above the cushions, 18 of the car seats. This canvas 16 passes in a horizontal plane approximately just above the cushions 18 of the various seats to the central part of the car where it is connected with a similar strip 16 drawn from a similar drum 10 at the opposite end of the car. As shown in the drawing one of these strips is rovided with straps 19 and the other with uckles 20, whereby the canvas members may be drawn sufficiently taut for all practical purposes. It

is in this manner that the lower berths are formed throughout the length of the car and on each side thereof.

From the drum 12 is drawn a similar canvas strip 16 which asses underneath a roller 1-7 a proximate y in a plane located just above t e tops of the seat backs 7. The two canvas members drawn from the drums 12 at the opposite ends of the car are brought together at the center of the car approximately and connected by means of straps and buckles. 19 and 20, thus forming the upper deck or the upper berths in exactly the same manner as the lower deck or berths are formed. When the canvas is unwound from the drums to a suitable length, the pawls 14 are thrown into engagement with the ratchet teeth 13, whereby the canvas may be drawn taut without further unwinding it from the drums. For the purpose of Winding'the canvas up when it is no longer needed, a removable crank handle 21 is employed. This crank is adapted to fit the squared end 22 of each drum journal. When it is desired to wind up the canvas it is only necessary to detach the two members 16 or 16 or both as the case may be, and wind up the drums until the canvas is wound thereon to the desired degree.

In forming the upper deck, it is preferred to tilt the backs 7 of every other seat as shown in'the case of two of the seats in Fig. 1 and one of the seats in Fig. 3. This raises the lower end of the back to allow the users of the lower deck to pass their feet underneath the back of one of the seats. Provision may be made for causing these seat backs to remain in this position. If desired both seat backs of each berth could be tilted whereby their tops are thrown toward each other thus giving the occupant of the berth more room in both directions.

In vmy improved construction the backs of the seats are preferably rovided. with caps 23, since the top of eaci seat back is usually rounded at its opposite ends as shown at 24. The object of these caps would be to prevent the canvas from'sagging down at its opposite edges over these rounded corners so to speak.

As shown in the drawing the links 8 and 9 are provided with openings 8 and 9 respectively, which when. the back is tilted to the position shown at the middle seat in Fig. 3 and at two of the seats in Fig. 1, regis- 1 ter and are adapted to receive a pin 25 which locks the back in the shifted osition. These links 8 and 9 are also provi ed with additional openings 8 and 9 which are employed for the same pur ose as just explained, when the seat bac s are reversed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a sleeper attachment for railway cars, the combination with the car, of a deck composed of flexible material extending lengthwise of the car and supported by the seat backs, substantially as described.

2. In a sleeper attachment for cars, the combination with the car seats, of a strip of flexible material stretched lengthwise of the car and supported by the seat backs, substantially as described.

3. In a sleeper, the combination with the car, of a strip of flexible material stretched lengthwise of the car and supported below the seat backs by said seats, substantially as described. 7

4. In a sleeper attachment for cars, the combination with the car, of a strip of flexible material stretched lengthwise of the car and supported by the seats, substantially as described.

5. In a sleeper attachment for cars, the combination with the car, of upper and lower strips of flexible material extending lengthwise of the car and supported by the seats,, substantially as described.

6. In a sleeper attachment for cars, the combination with the car, of upper and lower strips of flexible material extending lengthwise of the car and supported by the seats, and drums mounted on the car and with which the said strips are connected, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a car, of a winding drum attached to each end of the car, a strip of flexible material connected with each drum, the free extremities of the two strips being equipped with fastening means for connecting the same, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a car, of a drum attached to the upper part of each end of the car, a strip of canvas or other flexible material connected therewith and adapted to be wound thereon, and a guide roller which each strip of canvas engages, the two strips being provided with fastening means for connecting them, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. SHIRES.

I/Vitnesses:

DENA NELsoN, A. J. OBRIEN. 

